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Chiefs name ‘relatively unchanged’ side for sold-out final

(Photo by Kerry Marshall/Getty Images)

The Chiefs “have named a relatively unchanged line-up” for their highly anticipated Super Rugby Pacific final against the champion Crusaders on Saturday evening.

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Looking to end the Crusaders’ unrivalled dynasty of six Super Rugby titles in as many years – which would extend to seven – coach Clayton McMillan has named a formidable side.

Co-captain Sam Cane will join legendary flanker Liam Messam as the only two players in Chiefs history to play 150 games for the proud Hamilton-based franchise.

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Cane will lead the team out onto FMG Stadium along with veteran halfback Brad Weber. Weber is preparing to play his final match for the Chiefs are signing for Stade Francais in France.

The Chiefs have only made one change to their starting side, with All Black Pita Gus Sowakula coming into the starting side for Samipeni Finau.

Coach Clayton McMillan believes the minor premiers are ready to “deal with whatever comes our way” in Saturday’s decider.

“We are fortunate to have named a relatively unchanged line-up from last week for this week’s final,” McMillan said in a statement.

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“Being put under pressure over the last few weeks has given us real belief we can deal with whatever comes our way on the weekend.

“The Crusaders are clearly a quality side who will come here well prepared, with a lot of belief, and a legacy of turning up on the big stage. We respect that – there’s no point denying it, but we aren’t daunted by the task at hand either.”

This year’s Super Rugby Pacific final between the Chiefs and Crusaders is set to get underway at 7.05pm NZST on Saturday at Hamilton’s FMG Stadium.

Chiefs team to take on Crusaders

  1. Aidan Ross
  2. Samisoni Taukei’aho
  3. George Dyer
  4. Brodie Retallick
  5. Tupou Vaa’i
  6. Pita Gus Sowakula
  7. Sam Cane (cc)
  8. Luke Jacobson
  9. Brad Weber (cc)
  10. Damian McKenzie
  11. Etene Nanai-Seturo
  12. Anton Lienert-Brown
  13. Alex Nankivell
  14. Emoni Narawa
  15. Shaun Stevenson

Replacements:

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16. Tyrone Thompson

17. Ollie Norris

18. John Ryan

19. Naitoa Ah Kuoi

20 Samipeni Finau

21. Cortez Ratima

22. Josh Ioane

23. Rameka Poihipi

Players not considered due to injury: Angus Ta’avao, Quinn Tupaea, Xavier Roe, Bryn Gatland, Laghlan McWhannell, Lalomilo Lalomilo

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Comments

2 Comments
B
Barry 518 days ago

Congrats SAM on joining Liam on 150 SUPER GAMES ...Make Crusaders PAY !
😍

B
Barry 518 days ago

GOOD LUCK OUR ONLY OTHER SURVIVER!!! OUR HURRICANES ARE HOPING YOU CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BY SHOWING THE COCKY CRUSADERS ARE NOW SECOND IN LINE BEFORE NEXT YEAR!!! 😎 😍 😎 🙃

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NB 28 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Nice bit if revisioniusm but that's all it is JW.


For your further education, I found the following breakdown of one prominent club's finances in the Top 14 [Clermont].


For Clermont (budget of €29.5 million for 2021-2022) :

- 20% from ticket sales

- 17% from the LNR (includes TV Rights, compensation from producing french internationals and other minor stuff)

- 5% from public collectivities (so you're looking at funds from the city of Clermont, the department of Puy-De-Dôme and the region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes)

- 4% from merchandising and events

- 3% from miscellaneous

- 51 % from sponsorships and partnerships. They've got 550 different partners. The main ones are CGI, Groupama, Limagrain/Jacquet, Omerin, Paprec, Renault and of course Michelin (not surprising since they're actually the founders of the club).


As you can see nothing comes from the FFR at all. The LNR is a separate entitiy to FFR and their aims frequently do not accord.


It is also why the European breakaway plotted by LNR and PR back in 2013 had nothing to do with the governing bodies of either England or France - and it most certainly did not have their blessing https://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/15331030/jean-pierre-lux-anglo-french-cup-detrimental-european-rugby


And from the horse's mouth [ex AB skipper Sean Fitapatrick] about the comp between Top 14 and Super Rugby:


"The Top 14 in France is probably the best rugby competition in the world at the moment, purely for the week-in, week-out.”


“I think the quality of players. They are bigger, they are faster, they are stronger. Which then carries on into the international game.”

Take it from someone who knows JW😅

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